Category: Devotionals Page 5 of 49

Any Day Now – Day 65

On July 31, 2024

Do you believe God’s Word or don’t you? Is the Bible something you read when you have time or do you make time to read it? It is not called the Living Word for nothing. It’s pages are new every day that a believer reads them. The Bible never grows old, even though it is a book of history. The Bible gives us upcoming news because it is a book of prophecy! We are not left unarmed to face this world.

1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

It is because it is the Living Word that it never grows old. Its pages reveal something new to us every single day we read it. Jesus Christ, the Word of God, lives, reader! (John 1:1) His promises to return are still valid and will be fulfilled. But when?

Mat 24:3-33 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (4) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. (5) For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (6) And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (7) For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. ( 8 ) All these are the beginning of sorrows. (9) Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. (10) And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. (11) And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. (12) And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (13) But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (14) And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (15) When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (16) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: (17) Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: (18) Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. (19) And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! (20) But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: (21) For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. (22) And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. (23) Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. (24) For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (25) Behold, I have told you before. (26) Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. (27) For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (28) For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. (29) Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: (30) And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (31) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (32) Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: (33) So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

See also Luke 21:7-36 and Mark 13:5-37

Three of the four Gospels cover the events of the end times spoken by Jesus. Highlight these verses in your Bible and turn to them frequently to encourage yourself. We also have other books, like Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Revelation, etc. If you want to be encouraged, study them! You will be empowered knowing what is to come and you won’t be deceived. There are many deceivers out there. Many mock the pre-Tribulation Rapture view, as we have seen recently in the Tucker Carlson interview with John Rich. How very sad to watch as he criticized and misled Carlson! A few preachers called him out but will he even watch their messages? Reader, you cannot be deceived if you are in the Word and paying attention! There are many verses supporting the pre-Tribulation Rapture. But how can you defend the view if you are merely regurgitating what a pastor believes? You can’t! You must study the matter out for yourself. This blog is filled with this viewpoint. All you have to do is read the devotional series below and you will get some good teaching on the subject:

Friend, if you are not born again, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Don’t you want to be a part of the Church when she is raptured into the clouds to meet Jesus? (1 Thessalonians 4:17) Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Any Day Now – Day 64

By Kate Plourde

On July 29, 2024

In Any Day Now, Devotionals

Does the news frighten you, Reader? I think I can confidently say that anyone with half a functioning brain cell can see that things happening today are very different from yesteryear. There is an evil in the air and people are wondering what on earth is going on! The Christian can see with his spiritual eyes exactly what is going on.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

The devils have emerged and are openly celebrated. We see in video clips of musicians openly performing satanic rituals and dressed in demonic garb. We see the spirit of antichrist rising and coming like a crescendo in a symphony. That spirit is no longer slowly coming into view but is coming with a blast! We are bombarded with ungodly rhetoric and it is being shoved down the world’s throat! The ungodly are no longer hiding their agenda but have put it out there for all to see. However, the church is asleep and timid. There are a few preachers out there who are speaking against the goals of the powers that be. However, this should be preached from every pulpit. Preachers today are more interested in their numbers and bank account than they are for people’s souls. Shame on them. The judgment of a holy God is coming upon them. I would not want to be in their shoes.

God has a plan, and it is outlined in the Bible. He did not leave us ignorant. All the prophecies to date that have been spoken by prophets, as well as Jesus Christ, have been fulfilled. Every … one … of … them! The ones left to come will happen!

The powers of the air, satanic influences, are grasping people’s minds and deceiving them. Satan is the father of lies and the world is enamored with him. He influences weak minds to murder on his behalf. He influences the world to follow after him so they can succeed.

Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

If you are reading this and you are not born again, you are serving your father the devil. Jesus Christ said so and He is God. He knows what He’s talking about. Reading the verse above explains to you exactly how you are being deceived. But to the born-again Christian, we clearly see what Satan’s goals are and that is to destroy man. Satan does not love you. He hates you and wants you to suffer in the Lake of Fire. There is no party there, nor will you be partying with your friends once you get there. Jesus said that the pain will be excruciating, like nothing ever experienced on earth:

(Mat 8:12) But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

(Mat 13:42) And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

(Mat 13:50) And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

(Mat 22:13) Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

(Mat 24:51) And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

(Mat 25:30) And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

(Luk 13:28) There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

2Th 1:8-9 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (9) Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone [brimstone is sulphur]: which is the second death.

Does this sound like a party to you? What exactly is “gnashing of teeth”? I dare say no!

STRONGS NT 1030: βρυγμός

βρυγμός, βρυγμου, ὁ (βρύχω, which see), a gnashing of teeth: with τῶν ὀδόντων added, a phrase denoting the extreme anguish and utter despair of men consigned to eternal condemnation, Matthew 8:12; Matthew 13:42, 50; Matthew 22:13; Matthew 24:51; Matthew 25:30; Luke 13:28; in Proverbs 19:12 snarling, growling; in the sense of biting

Look at the verses above and see what Jesus says it will be like in Hell. Do the highlighted words sound like a party? Not at all. These verses all deal with man’s senses. If you are not born again before you die, you will go to a place that affects your sight, your hearing, your taste, and your sense of touch. You will desire a drop of water and will get none, just like Jesus’ account of the rich man and Lazarus. (Read Luke 16:19-31) There’s no party in Hell. None at all.

But to the born-again believer, the news today does not cause us to tremble, but to look up and rejoice that we shall be spared the horrors of the seven-year Tribulation period!

Oh friend, you must be born again if you do not want to go to Hell. You must be born again if you want to take part in the Rapture of the Church. Friend, if you are not born again, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Don’t you want to be a part of the Church when she is raptured into the clouds to meet Jesus? (1 Thessalonians 4:17) Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Any Day Now – Day 63

By Kate Plourde

On July 26, 2024

In Any Day Now, Devotionals

Mat 24:3-8 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (4) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. (5) For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (6) And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (7) For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. ( 8 ) All these are the beginning of sorrows. (9) Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

These are the beginning of sorrows. The Greek word for “sorrows” in verse 8 is “odin” and is defined as:

ὠδίν
ōdin
o-deen’
Akin to G3601; a pang or throe, especially of childbirth: – pain, sorrow, travail.

Any woman who has delivered a child can give you an accurate account of the event. The pain starts out slow and manageable. I remember thinking, “Wow, I can handle this”! I allowed my “feelings” to dictate what the rest of the delivery would be like. Boy was I wrong! The pains not only got stronger but they came closer together. So why do you think Jesus Himself compared it to the delivering of a baby?

Yes, we have experienced events prior to verse 8, but this has happened before in history. What makes these events different from those in history? They are occurring closer together and at the same time. Today’s events are happening concurrently. But now look at verse 9. Jesus said THEN shall they deliver you up to be afflicted. We are seeing a re-surging of antisemitic hatred that we haven’t seen since WWII. Israel is now fighting for its right to exist and they’re surrounded by nations that want them totally destroyed. We are in those times, dear Reader.

Don’t be discouraged! Look up for our redemption draweth nigh!

Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Jesus is about to make His appearance in the clouds to rapture His Bride, the church! Don’t you want to participate in that?

Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Escape what, Jesus? The answer is “all these things that shall come to pass“! This tells us that the church will not go through the Great Tribulation, the “time of Jacob’s troubles”! (Jeremiah 30:7) If you recall, Jacob was given a new name, which was Israel. (Genesis 32:28) The Tribulation is a time of Israel’s troubles, not the church. God will end the church age, the age of grace, with the Rapture of the church. Then focus will then be once again placed on Israel to draw them to their Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Oh friend, you must be born again in order to participate in the Rapture, no matter what viewpoint you hold. Friend, if you are not born again, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Don’t you want to be a part of the Church when she is raptured into the clouds to meet Jesus? (1 Thessalonians 4:17) Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Any Day Now – Day 62

By Kate Plourde

On July 24, 2024

In Any Day Now, Devotionals

Mar 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

Mar 14:38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

1Co 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Luk 12:37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

Look at all the times we are exhorted to watch or be found watching! Watch for what, you may wonder?

Mark 13:35 and Mark 14:38 both tell us to watch. Mark 13:35 says it is because we don’t know when the master will come. Strong’s defines “watch” as to be awake. We can’t be awake 24/7, so this is referring to being “spiritually awake.” Look for the signs of Christ’s coming, knowing it is at the door. Don’t be caught spiritually sleeping so to be caught unawares. Mark 14:38 warns us to watch and pray. Be alert, be awake, to the temptations/trials coming our way so we aren’t caught with our guard down. If we are watching, we know how to handle each one because we are confident in the Word of God to guide us.

grēgoreō: to be awake, to watch Original Word: γρηγορέω
Transliteration: grēgoreō
Phonetic Spelling: (gray-gor-yoo’-o)
Part of Speech: Verb
Short Definition: to be awake, to watch
Meaning: to be awake, to watch

Strong’s Concordance be vigilant, wake, be watchful.

From egeiro; to keep awake, i.e. Watch (literally or figuratively) — be vigilant, wake, (be) watch(-ful).

Luk 21:36 teaches us to watch for the Rapture. The Greek for this use of “watch” is to be sleepless. The word “escape” beautifully depicts the Rapture which is the trial to come upon the whole earth. How can a person be sleepless? We all need physical sleep. This is referring to our spiritual eyes watching sleeplessly for the Lord’s return for His Bride. A person who sleeps becomes complacent and stops looking upward and forward to Christ’s return for the Church!

agrypneō: to be sleepless, wakeful Original Word: ἀγρυπνέω
Transliteration: agrypneō
Phonetic Spelling: (ag-roop-neh’-o)
Part of Speech: Verb
Short Definition: to be sleepless, wakeful
Meaning: to be sleepless, wakeful

1Co 16:13 teaches us to watch and stand fast in the faith. There are many scoffers out there who want to discourage us from the Pre-Tribulation Rapture viewpoint. Why else would Paul teach us in the Rapture related verses to comfort and edify one another? There is no comfort or edification in the other viewpoints. Why? There isn’t any because the Church is not here during the Tribulation period.

1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

I love this one. Luk 12:37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. We are going to be blessed because we were watching for Christ’s return! What will that blessing be? He shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. The wedding of the Lamb and His Bride, the Church, will feast together!

Friend, you must be born again in order to participate, no matter what viewpoint you hold. Friend, if you are not born again, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Don’t you want to be a part of the Church when she is raptured into the clouds to meet Jesus? (1 Thessalonians 4:17) Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Any Day Now – Day 61

By Kate Plourde

On July 22, 2024

In Any Day Now, Devotionals

2 Pe 3:3-4 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, (4) And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

It’s sad that those who are doing the scoffing, as Peter points out in the verses above, are in the Church! How sad is that?!

The end-time period began with Israel becoming a nation on May 15, 1948. Jesus taught us that when the fig tree’s (Israel) branch was yet tender, we should know that summer is near! Israel’s statehood is yet tender. It is only 76 years old as of this year! But for the believer, this means that summer is near! The harvest has yet to come but it will come at the end of summer.

Mat 24:32-35 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: (33) So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. (34) Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. (35) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

The harvest time, as Jesus referred to in Revelation 14:14-20, occurs during the Tribulation. Unbelievers will not enter the Millennium.

Jesus continues to tell us in Matthew 24:34-35 that this generation, that witnesses the fig tree’s putting forth leaves, SHALL NOT pass away until all these things be fulfilled. What things? Jesus lays them out in the verses below:

Mat 24:3-31 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (4) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. (5) For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (6) And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (7) For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. ( 8 ) All these are the beginning of sorrows. (9) Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. (10) And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. (11) And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. (12) And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (13) But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (14) And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (15) When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (16) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: (17) Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: (18) Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. (19) And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! (20) But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: (21) For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. (22) And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. (23) Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. (24) For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (25) Behold, I have told you before. (26) Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. (27) For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (28) For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. (29) Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: (30) And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (31) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

We are seeing some of these events today. They are happening more frequently and in greater intensity. But Jesus said that we should know that the end is near. The rest of his prophecy deals with the Tribulation time as we see in verse 15. Daniel 9:27 tells us that the Tribulation period begins with the signing of a treaty between Israel and the Antichrist. This is when the man of lawlessness is finally revealed. The Church is gone before this occurs and we see in the rest of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24 that He is referring to the Jewish people, verses 15-31. Life won’t be easy for those who follow Christ during the Tribulation.

There is a reason why the Church is not mentioned after Revelation 4:1 until Revelation 22. The Church was important enough to appear 20 times in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. If she were to go through the Tribulation, she would be mentioned again. We must remember that those seven years of tribulation are for Israel, the Jews specifically. (Jeremiah 30:7) The Church is Christ’s body and the Lord won’t bring judgment upon His own body since He paid the penalty with His own blood!

Any Day Now – Day 60

By Kate Plourde

On July 19, 2024

In Any Day Now, Devotionals

How many times did our parents say, “I told you NOT to ….” (fill in the blank). I have been saved for 44 years and I have heard maybe one handful of sermons about the end times. It does not seem to be a popular topic for preachers. I wonder why? I mean, nearly one-third of the Bible is about prophecy! Would you want to hear only two-thirds of any audio book? Not me! I would notice missing parts if it was a book I read more than once.

We have all that we need at our fingertips: we have a physical paper Bible, we have apps, we have the Internet, we have audio Bibles. There is no excuse to tell God you didn’t know or you never heard. God will hold those living in the end times accountable for having access to eternal life and yet not accessing it. It’s like having a key to a beautiful mansion but choosing not to use it!

Such is preaching on the topic of prophecy. Before the world came to a stand still during the pandemic, there were few preachers teaching on the subject on the Internet. The only good thing that came out of the pandemic, in my opinion, is that it opened a gateway for the Church to share the Gospel online. YouTube is now filled with Church services being streamed. A believer is no longer limited to brick and mortar to find good preaching. One can be watching and listening to godly messages from thousands of miles away. What a blessing this is in these end times!!!

So now that we have this wonderful privilege, are people rushing to listen and watch? Not as much as I thought there were. If that were the case, there would have been great revival in the lands. God gave us Bible prophecy to bless His people so that they would know in advance the plans that He had for these end times. He also gave it to open the eyes of the lost so they could be saved!

Rev 1:1-3 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: (2) Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. (3) Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Are you reading about prophecies which have already come to past? Are you hearing good preaching that encourage you to keep those things which God has written in His Word? He’s telling us to keep looking upward!

Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

As we see all of Bible prophecy coming to past, we know that those that have not yet happened will because there is not one prophecy up until now that has not come true. We have the prophetic blueprint and it’s all outlined for us; every single detail! Jesus will follow His blueprint right down to the smallest jot and tittle! When God says something will happen, it’s as good as done!

Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Any Day Now – Day 59

By Kate Plourde

On July 17, 2024

In Any Day Now, Devotionals

How do we know that we are living in the end times? We know that all of prophecy revolves around Israel and her Messiah. Israel turned from God and God allowed them to lose their country. Then on May 15, 1948, Israel once again became a nation. This started the prophecy clock ticking moving forward with the end times. We know this because of:

Isa 11:11-12 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. (12) And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Eze 20:33-38 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: (34) And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. (35) And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. (36) Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD. (37) And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: (38) And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

There are more verses revolving around Israel becoming a nation once again but for brevity’s sake, I’ll leave it with these two. As a result of this miracle, we know that the world entered into its last days. The Apostles Paul and and Peter warned us about the conditions of the world during these end times. Just take a look at the following verses:

1Ti 4:1-3 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (2) Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (3) Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

2Ti 3:1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (3) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, (4) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; (5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

2Ti 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

2Pe 3:3-5 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, (4) And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. (5) For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

We can see that the world we currently live in has reached this point. We have “churches” (and I use the term loosely) who preach that homosexuality and other sexual immorality is acceptable in God’s sight. On the other hand, we have churches that are hung up on man-made traditions rather than relying on the Word of God for instruction. These same churches add to the simplicity of the Gospel. God made salvation so easy to grasp that even a child can understand its meaning!

Mat 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Rom 8:16-17 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (17) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

There is only one sure way to Heaven and that is through Jesus Christ: not the church, not some prophet who had a dream, not some god with who takes you to a higher plane.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The Lord did not want us confused – He didn’t want us to follow a path that led me one place and then another. No! His path is straight and narrow. There is no mistaking it. You proceed in one direction and not many go with you. But it is a clear path and is well lit by God’s Word:

Psa 119:105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Any Day Now – Day 58

By Kate Plourde

On July 15, 2024

In Any Day Now, Devotionals

(2Co 5:17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

(Luk 9:62) And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

I have often wondered why Lot’s wife turned around to look back. What was there that would give her that overwhelming desire to do so? Was there something in her city that she regretted leaving behind? We think of Sodom and Gomorrah as morally depraved. However, Mrs. Lot was leaving her home, her friends, and everything familiar behind. Haven’t we all been through a similar situation? This is where a believer has to put on the brakes and come to a screeching halt in his/her life.

Once a person is truly born again, certain things happen to the heart. The heart (seat of man’s emotions) was once covered with a veil, if you will. After salvation, that veil is removed and the light of the Blessed Saviour’s Holy Spirit makes His dwelling there. The Holy Spirit then begins His work changing what once was a worldly priority to a spiritual priority. So where are your priorities?

Are you like Mrs. Lot where you miss some aspects of your old life? Are those things you miss distracting you from the Holy Spirit’s prodding to transform you? Jesus said in Luke 9:62 that if you put your had to the plough and look back, you’re not fit for the kingdom of God. In other words, if you hear the good news of the Gospel but your heart is not truly converted, you will look back! Think about how plowing was done. John Deere’s tractors plow through fields in no time. If the driver is looking behind him, the rows won’t be very straight, will they? The driver has to look ahead and not behind in order to achieve his goals. I dare say Mrs. Lot knew why the angels were pulling her family out of Sodom and Gomorrah. She knew her city was to be destroyed. Her last-ditch effort to look back to what she loved cost her dearly!

Keep your eyes on Jesus. Look forward to Christ’s return and our Blessed Hope of the Rapture! Don’t let the cares of this world distract you from your plowing!

(Tit 2:13) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

The Apostle Paul was such an encourager and exhorter! Of all people, he had every reason to look back to the life style he had as a Pharisee. But he didn’t and spent his ministry exhorting the brethren to look forward and look up!

Php 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

This lost world doesn’t even realize that they are living their best life at this moment in time. But to the born-again believer, we are living our worst moments in time because we have a greater place prepared for us!

Joh 14:1-4 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (2) In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (4) And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

Rom 8:18-23 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (19) For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. (20) For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, (21) Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (22) For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. (23) And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Friend, unless you are born again, you cannot fully understand these verses. But to the believer, these are exciting words. They encoourage us to look ahead because we know what is to come. If you are not born again, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Don’t you want to be a part of the Church when she is raptured into the clouds to meet Jesus? (1 Thessalonians 4:17) Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Any Day Now – Day 57

By Kate Plourde

On July 12, 2024

In Any Day Now, Devotionals

1Co 15:51-52 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (52) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1Th 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

I look at the Rapture as a gift from our Groom, Jesus Christ, to His Bride. As the Church is the body of Christ, it stands to reason that Christ’s body would not be on the earth during the worst time to come upon the earth.

(Mat 24:21) For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

This tells me that the seven-year Tribulation period is the worst time that has EVER come upon this earth. If you think the ten plagues of Egypt during the time of Moses was bad, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

The Bible tells us that the Church is the body of Christ – He is the head of the Church. We learn in 1 Corinthians that we, the Church, all make up His body. Therefore, it is impossible for the

(Rom 7:4) Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

(Rom 12:5) So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

(1Co 12:12) For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

(1Co 12:27) Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

(Eph 3:6) That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

(Eph 4:12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

(Eph 5:23) For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

(Col 1:24) Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

(Col 2:17) Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

The Church is the body of Christ. How can the body be separated from its Head, the Lord Jesus? It cannot. Just as a wife and husband are one, so is the Church and Christ. This is the mystery spoken of in Ephesians 5:32! Therefore, the Church cannot possibly be on earth during the Tribulation; which is the worst period of time ever! How can Christ be separated from His body, His bride?

It’s not rocket science, friend. Friend, you must be born again in order to participate, no matter what viewpoint you hold. Friend, if you are not born again, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Don’t you want to be a part of the Church when she is raptured into the clouds to meet Jesus? (1 Thessalonians 4:17) Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Any Day Now – Day 56

By Kate Plourde

On July 10, 2024

In Any Day Now, Devotionals

Rom 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Does the “church” today believe and practice these verses? I dare say there is a small percentage that do. One only has to look around to discover what does conforming to this world truly mean! There are “Christians” out there who believe it is OK to have an abortion or support women who have them. Is that what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God? Paul explained what is NOT the will of God to Timothy. Furthermore, Paul stated what these end times would look like:

2Ti 3:1-9 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (3) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, (4) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; (5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (6) For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, (7) Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (8) Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. (9) But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

If these verses explain what is NOT God’s will, whose will do they conform to? The answer is Satan’s will. The evil spirit in mankind is reflected in:

(2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (3) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, (4) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; (5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

God’s will in these end times is: from such turn away. One may call himself a Christian, but his fruit bears the truth when he attends a pride parade in support of their cause! God loves the sinner but hates the sin! A true Christian can attend the pride parade and proclaim the freedom from sin that Christ provides. That, my friend, is God’s will.

Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

The world of the unsaved is all around us. The gospel is open to everyone but they won’t hear if you don’t do your job. Friend, you must be born again in order to participate, no matter what viewpoint you hold. Friend, if you are not born again, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Don’t you want to be a part of the Church when she is raptured into the clouds to meet Jesus? (1 Thessalonians 4:17) Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!